Bhubaneswar : The Red Lions are now regarded as genuine medal contenders at every major international tournament, while they are preparing for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup, which is schedule to be held at Kalinga Stadium here from November 28. Belgium head coach Shane McLeod believes World Cup is the perfect opportunity for his team to become legends.

A World Cup in Bhubaneswar will be a different ball game, the experience of playing in India in front of house pack spectators at Kalinga Stadium that hockey players will never forget. Exuberant, passionate fans; high levels of excitement surrounding each match and ear-splitting noise in the stadium. How will the Belgium players stand up to the pressure? “All of our World Cup team would have been to India and experienced the conditions that Indian hockey will provide,” says McLeod. “The hardest thing to prepare them for is the very vocal local crowd cheering for the home nation. This you can only experience in India.”

While the past few months and the next few weeks are all about preparing the team, once Belgium arrive in Bhubaneswar, McLeod will settle back and try to enjoy the ride. “I want to make sure I enjoy it. Hockey is a great game and so are the people involved. When you play a World Cup it is like a celebration of all the work that you put in beforehand. The pressure time is actually in making sure everything is in place in the months leading to the World Cup.” .